Izquierda Unida

The traditional party of the radical left Izquierda Unida is facing a takeover by upstart party Podemos. Jesús Sánchez Rodríguez* analyses the dynamics within and between to the two organisations and the prospects for economic, social and political transformation in Spain The political project of Podemos began to be articulated about a year ago and … Continue reading →

Interview with Cayo Lara, leader of Izquierda Unida (United Left) Cayo Lara, 61, is general co-ordinator Izquierda Unida (United Left). During the party’s last Congress he was re-elected by a unanimous vote to lead the party, that in parliamentary elections in November 2011 achieved almost 7% of the vote, winning 11 seats. Since then, under his … Continue reading →

One of the great weaknesses of Spain’s indignados movement, which this week celebrated its second birthday, has been its failure to pursue a strategy that turns power in the streets into the real power needed to change the world. In the November 2011 general elections, six months after Spaniards occupied town squares across the country, … Continue reading →

The European Central Bank’s bond-buying programme is actually a German banking rescue not a rescue of the Spanish people, United Left economic spokesman, Alberto Garzón, said Thursday. It was important to know the conditions of the ECB’s programme, to know how much Spanish citizens will have to pay to save German banks, argued Garzón, La Nueva Tribuna reported. … Continue reading →

As the financial crisis accelerates in Spain, resistance to austerity is growing Spain is living through the sharpest period of unrest in a generation. Mass protest is now a daily fact of life. Millions having filled the streets and plazas. Job centres and mines have been occupied, and roads blocked. Thousands have marched on the … Continue reading →

Right-wing prime minister Mariano Rajoy has unveiled the biggest attack on Spain’s welfare state in history in a move described by radical opposition MPs pouring ‘gasoline onto the streets’. The measures include a swathe of new taxes and spending cuts designed to reduce the budget deficit by 65 billion euros by 2014 in line with … Continue reading →

United Left has called on Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy to ‘stop lying’ and demanded an explanation as to why the citizens are to ‘pay the ransom for a giant property scam’. The party’s federal coordinator Cayo Lara stated Sunday that the Spanish people would end up paying a debt that ‘wasn’t theirs’ and be … Continue reading →

First France, then Greece and Italy and now Spain: radical left politics is getting a lift as the people of Europe reject austerity and look for genuine alternatives. The latest Metroscopia opinion poll published for El Pais newspaper over the weekend shows an impressive and consistent rise in support for the communist-led United Left opposition … Continue reading →

‘This crisis is about capital against labour and capitalism against the state. It is time for a ‘social, democratic and anti-capitalist alternative,’ say Spanish Communists. It’s time to move towards a new constituent process. More

Opposition parties have slammed the right-wing government’s tax and spending plans for 2012 with the radical United Left party seeing them as demonstrating ‘intolerance’ towards the majority’ and a ‘give-away’ for a ‘privileged few’. The administration of Mariano Rajoy, elected last November in a landslide victory against the Socialists, revealed Tuesday details of one of the most … Continue reading →

Spain’s regional governments should ‘rebel’ against demands by Madrid for further cuts to schools and hospitals, says the Communist-led United Left. The 17 ‘autonomous’ regions of Spain, who spend 37% of the total outlay by the public purse and are responsible for budgets on education, health and social services, are facing an unprecedented financial squeeze … Continue reading →

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) KKE: No if there is a referendum, No if there isn’t. Yes to overthrow the monopolies ‘The dilemma Euro or drachma is misleading for the people. The interest of the people is the disengagement from the EU with people’s power and economy, which will cancel the whole debt unilaterally and … Continue reading →